Walk 9 - 15.2 miles - Total 130.4 miles - To Go 869.6 miles

London Loop: Section 7 from Banstead Downs to Ewell, Section 8 from Ewell to Kingston Bridge and Section 9 Kingston Bridge to Fulwell.






It is a deep dark of night as I rise for yet another early start. Get ready quietly then brush Karen's cheek with a gentle kiss farewell and she half asleep dreamily blows a kiss and whispers 'enjoy it my hero'. I hope she goes back to her peaceful dream before she needs to wake and face the pains and struggles of her day ahead. I also hope the team in Cambridge and around the world are making progress in their search for a key to release Karen and people like her from the torture chamber of MS.

Today is Hogsmill, Thames, Downs and tales of Saxon Kings. We start at Banstead and head off towards Ewell. Ahead of us we see spectres, spooks, ghosts and ghouls. All floating and flying around gossiping with each other about what we will get up to today. We hand out leaflets to them and tell them to visit the web site. Weeeeeee wiiiiiillllll...they tell us. Great... all contributions welcome. We are on Ghost road, so called as it had been started before the war with the expectation of more housing to be built along it. After the war the Green Belt was established so the houses were never built and the road got its name.

This is all near Nonsuch Park where Nonsuch Palace had been built by Henry VIII for £25,000. He built it with the intention that there would no better Palace on the planet....hence it's name. Apparently very grand but now nowhere to be seen. Today the Park is a dog's paradise - they are out with their masters in their hundreds enjoying the first sunny day for a while; to escape snarling canines and their deposits, Rob resorts to biblical powers.



After only 4 miles we are allowed a cup of tea at Ganache in Ewell. Rob knows I don't really get going with conversation until I have had my second cup. But he has found a real gem of a tea shop. Caringly laid out with personal table service and nothing like Starbucks. Teresa (no h just like Rob's sister) joins us to find out what we are up to and offers to capture us on camera.
For the first time in all our walks I see someone pick up Rob's camera and use it professionally...we pose and she captures us using props from the tea shop to remind us where we have been.



Later at St John the Baptist church in Malden we stop to study the history and rest Rob's back. He is still in a lot of pain and heroically walking on. The church is in a lovely spot and with the sun shining and warming us it is a spring type moment. We talk to some local ladies who tell us the link of the church to Lewis from Inspector Morse.He was on tv recently tracing his family tree and found a famous relative here who had been a big wig in the Bank of England.....or rather he found his tomb here. They took a photo of us for their church notice board....so if you are reading this ladies..here is the photo and contact Rob and he will send you a copy. When we appear on BBC Breakfast news in April you can tell the parisheners we were visitors at your church early in our efforts.


We are impressed we have reached Kingston by 1pm and covered 11 miles already. Rob is keen to have a light lunch....just like Kim's sandwhich he said. I go for the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel which Rob worries is not enough for me. He fancies a burger which I point out is not light or like Kim's sandwhich. Anyway he goes for it. A fine lunch with those big fat cut chips. As we set off across Bushey Park Rob complains of stomach cramps to add to his bad back. Why did I have that burger he asks? Because you wanted it I remind him. In Bushey Park the surprising sight is of green parakeets in a tree. We talk to a local fisherman who is failing to catch perch and ask him about them. He says the story is they were used on a film set at Shepperton 20 years ago and escaped and are now breading and establishing quite a hold in Bushey Park....much to the annoyance of local seed eaters who are seeing their foodstore stolen by these intruders.


A wonderful walk today. Sunshine, warmth and some lovely views to stop and take time over. Rob is to be admired for the way he struggled on. The final two miles sounded and looked agony as he tenderly protected his back. Back at Fulwell we met Ollie from Teddington who asked us about our walk and how far we had done today. Now in the swing I said 'just 15 miles today'...wow! 15 miles he said...well done. He then captured us on film as I am sure this will be one of the most painful memories for Rob when we look back. I had my customary two hour drive home (Rob took 3 hours courtesy of the closure of Dartford tunnel)during which I listened to some JLS and Lady Ga Ga....which I must confess I actually thought were quite good.